Ghenna
by thesirenserenity
Summary: Lucy travels through Dante's Inferno with the help of demon Etherious to discover the One True Power. (Dante's Inferno AU) (Lucy x END/Natsu)
1. Chapter 1

_This story is a re-telling of Dante's_ _Inferno_ _in the style of Hiro Mashima's_ _Fairy Tail_ _. None of the characters are my own, and the descriptions of all the character can be found on the Fairy Tail Wiki, at wiki/Characters_

 **Preface**

 _"In a land far, far away, lies the Kingdom of Fiore, a small peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with magic! Found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace, for most, magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, magic is an art, and they have devoted their lives to its practice. These are the mages. Banded together into magical guilds they apply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born... a guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name... is Fairy Tail."_

Lucy sat at the edge of Natsu's bed, her hand lightly encasing his. Happy slept on his chest, his blue fur slowly rising and falling with every breath. Lucy could not help but feel despair. Though Natsu's risk of dying from the Anti-Ethernano Tumor was depleted, thanks to Brandish, he was still in a coma. The world was in an uproar; the Alvarez Empire was attacking, Zeref planning to destroy the world. Fairy Tail was fighting hard, attempting to diminish the threat and save Fiore, but there was only so much they could do against the pure magic power of the Alvarez Empire.

Lucy felt herself drift off into sleep, her head coming to rest on Natsu's bedside. _The world was looking bleak, indeed._

 **The Dark Wood**

My eyes flew open, my gaze latching onto the lingering stars amidst the pink sky. I sat up slowly, my hand encasing my head. It felt fuzzy, a slight pulsing deterring my thoughts. I took in my surroundings, noticing that I was in a small clearing in a dark wood. I could not recall how I had gotten there or where I was. The woods did not feel familiar, for I would have recalled the suppressing, ominous feeling. Immediately, I was on edge, my heart pounding and the fear creeping in.

I felt as though I was at a cross road, though I know not what for.

I stood, trying to get my feet under me, while searching for a path. I could not find one, and I couldn't remember where I was or what my goal was. I grew frantic. I

Where was I to go?

I knew I had to get out of the wood, because it was so overbearing and harsh. I knew I had lost the true way, but I didn't know where I was supposed to be going. I walked faster, a hill coming into view. Its peak was kissed by the morning sun's rays, the sun emerging from it. It brought light to the dark woods.

 _The hill, I can walk to the hill._

I had barely reached the hill, panting in exhaustion, when light split the air, an image coming into view. Leo, the lion spirit came into view, but it was not the Leo I loved and cherished. It was his Eclipse form, the Leo that desired to kill me, to maim me. I could feel the evil pouring off of him, and turned racing back into the twisted woods. I was more terrified of seeing my loving comrade back in this violent form than scared of him maiming me. To the left, the air rippled again, Cancer emerging, also in his Eclipse form. His malicious intent was obvious, causing me to turn again from him, back toward the dark woods. The tears began to well in my eyes, as I hated to see my friends with so much unhappiness and malice in their eyes. Once again, the air rippled, a stream of light and the crack of a whip taking over my senses. Eclipse Virgo stood in front of me, her lips upturned in an evil smile, eyes dancing with a wrath that I have never seen on my loving spirit. Her whip dashed out, attempting to catch me by the ankle.

Streams of tears escaped, falling down my face as I ran back into the woods, into the shadows. I tore through the brush, the branches of the trees grabbing at me like fingers. I stumbled, barely able to see through my tears. I couldn't gain my footing, and I could feel myself falling, my arms reaching for something to keep me on my feet.

I barreled into something hard, warm hands catching my arms and steadying me. Terror raced through me, recalling the malice in my spirit's eyes. I pulled back, attempting to escape the hands, trying to brush the tears and blonde hair from my eyes.

"Please," I cried desperately, "Please don't hurt me."

Finally able to see, I looked up and my eyes met familiar onyx. Immediately, my heart rate calmed and my breath steadied. His name escaped my lips like a whisper, "Natsu."

I reached up, my hands tracing the familiar face topped with scruffy pink hair. It was him, but it wasn't. Red scales decorated the side of his face and small black horns were sticking out of the pink hair. I froze, meeting his eyes once again and seeing the confusion there.

I pulled back quickly, escaping his hands and stumbling backward. Recalling the warped version of my comrades that drove me from the hill, I feared that this Natsu was one that was turned against me.

But his head was cocked to one side, no malice to be found in his eyes, just curiosity and confusion. "Natsu?" he asked, the word seemingly unfamiliar on his tongue. "I've never been called by that name before." His eyes regarded me suspiciously. "Are you Lucy Heartfilia?"

I nodded, "Yes, I am Lucy." The questions tumbled out of my mouth. "How did you know me? Who are you? Where are we? Why do you look exactly like my partner?"

He chuckled softly, the laugh contrasting to the normal boisterous laugh that emerged from my best friend. "You may call me Etherious, though that is not my full name. This is the dark wood, but don't worry, you are to take another road."

"But why do you look so much like Natsu?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I'm not sure who Natsu is, exactly. I was just sent to be your guide, because there is much you must learn."

I regarded him with suspicious eyes. It was weird to be looking at my partner, though it wasn't him. "Who sent you?"

The look in his eyes softened, "Someone who cares much about you and your path: Layla Heartfilia."

"Mother," I gasped, the tears welling up in my eyes once again.

A small smile graced his lips. "Lucy, we are about to take a dangerous journey, but it was your mother who deemed it necessary. You must learn many things in order for you to succeed. She, along with your ancestor, the famous Celestial Spirit Mage Anna Heartfilia consulted with Mavis Vermilion, requesting to bring you here."

"The First Master?"

"Yes, of your guild, Fairy Tail."

"Where are we going?" I inquired.

"To my homeland. Down into Hell."

I recoiled in shock, terror coursing through my body. "Into Hell?" I stammered. "But why would Mother, First Master, and Anna want me to go there?"

"Because you need to learn about the One True Power. Layla appeared to me from the heavenly realm, requesting that I guide you through so you can learn."

"The One True Power?" I questioned.

Etherious shrugged, "I'm not sure what it is myself, but Layla said that it was something we had to discover ourselves."

I swallowed my fear, determination setting in. "Well, if Mother insists, then I guess it is necessary. If she trusts you, then I will trust you."

Etherious smiled at me, reaching forward and grabbing my hand. "Come on then, we must be going. We don't have much time." He began to lead me, his footsteps sure.

The woods melted around us.

 **Hell's Gate**

" _Through me one goes into the empty city, through me one goes into a place of hate, through me one wanders among those lost. Leave behind all hope and enter into a place void of love."_

I swallowed nervously, unconsciously stepping closer to Etherious. "That isn't ominous at all."

He looked at me questioningly, "What, the inscription?"

I nodded, "Yes, I don't know how I feel about it."

He let out a bark of a laugh, "You must be brave here, Lucy. This is the entrance to Hell; you will see many hopeless people here, some which you may recognize." He took my hand in his again, comforting me with a look. "Come on, Lucy. It's time to go."

I followed, trusting him. After all, Mother had sent him. This was the path that I must take and the things I must learn.

As we passed through the gate and started descending down the path, I could begin to hear cries and sighing. The sadness was overwhelming, the sorrow surrounding me.

I held back the tears, trying to overcome the horror overtaking me. "Etherious, what am I hearing?"

He sighed, his in harmony with those echoing through the deep cavern. "This is what I like to call the cross-roads, but others call it the Vestibule. It's the place where those who choose neither good nor evil in their life."

As we descended the rocky path, which weaved down the face of the hill, I could make out the forms of the poor humans. They seemed to be being attacked by swarms of bugs, which explained the cries of sorrow. My heart jumped, and I felt pity for them.

"Are they attacked by bugs forever?" I inquired, my voice barely coming above a whisper.

Etherious stopped suddenly, and I crashed into his back. I could hear the pity in his voice. "I'll explain more when we get down to the river. Let's keep moving for now."

I looked past him, allowing him to lead me by the hand again. A river came into view below us, the dark water reflecting the celling of the cave we had descended into.

A few moments later, we reached the water's edge, where some of the souls laid on the banks to try to find some reprieve from the bugs attacking them. I recognized a group of three men, laying in a heap on top of each other and moaning, their bodies encased in tight leather. I turned to Etherious, tugging on his hand. "Is that the Jiggle Butt Gang? Why are they here?"

Etherious followed my pointed finger to the heap of men and shrugged. "I guess so. I haven't really taken much time to get to know all the souls here. Do you recognize them from Earthland?"

I nodded, sure now that they were the obnoxious and pathetic group from one of my many adventures. "Yes, they seem to be a group that my friends and I have encountered. Why are they here?"

Etherious looked out into the river, his eyes tracking something I could not see. "The same reason every other poor soul is here. They didn't do anything noble or believe in noble aspirations, yet they weren't completely evil."

I couldn't help but giggling, recalling their antics and desires to be villainous, but the failure to do anything that hurt anyone. "Yes, I can agree with that. But their punishment is being attacked by bugs constantly? That seems a little harsh."

Etherious nodded, "I agree, but I'm not the one who decides the punishment."

"Who is?"

"You will meet him in a bit, don't worry. He is actually rather annoying." Etherious wrinkled his nose.

He turned his attention to the river, peering across it. Looking closely, I could barely make out the shape of a boat approaching us.

"Are we waiting for the boat to take us across the river?" I asked.

"Yes, though let me do all the talking. You're not dead yet and some of the spirits down here won't necessarily like that."

Concern crossed my face. "Are we going to be able to complete our journey?" I asked.

"Yes, just let me handle Yajeel."

The boat pulled up to the side of the river, approaching a collection of people standing on the banks. I could feel the eagerness from the crowd, though I'm not quite sure why they would be so eager to cross the river and go to Hell. A short man breaks through the crowd and stomps toward us. Etherious straightened beside me, puffing up his chest.

The man stopped right in front of us, his eyes flashing in anger. "Etherious, what did you do this time? Who is this? You know there are no living souls allowed here."

"Yajeel, you are required to carry us to Hell." Etherious's voice was firm, his eyes flashing in determination.

Yajeel huffed, "Just because you are second here doesn't mean that you can abuse your powers. Leave."

A small growl came from Etherious. "This is what is willed by the Divine. You nor I cannot change it."

Yajeel stared at Etherious for a moment, then turned on his heel with a loud sigh. "Then come. Don't blame me if your living soul gets torn apart by Hell."

I started, looking at Etherious in shock. Torn apart? Etherious just grabbed my hand with a roll of his eyes, and pulled me to the boat that Yajeel was getting on. He leaned over, whispering in my ear, "Don't worry, he is just being dramatic. You are strong enough to make it through and we have Mavis on our side."

We boarded the boat, the inky waves rocking it slightly. The moment my feet left the ground, I could feel the energy draining from me. My vision faded in and out, my feeble voice calling out for Etherious. I could see his worried face, his hands reaching out to catch me as I fell.

Then, I lost consciousness.

 **Hey all! This is for a project for my history class, but I really enjoyed doing it. I will post the rest of the journey in a couple more chapters over the next couple weeks.**

 **Enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

Hey all! Here is the second chapter :D the third is already written and I will post it sometime tomorrow afternoon. Enjoy!

excuse the dumb formatting issues... It should be fixed now 

**Circle One – Limbo**

I woke to a thunderclap, the loud sound frightening me out of my slumber. Etherious, who was carrying me in his arms, noticed my awakening.

"Good, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts a little, but I'm fine. You can put me down. Where are we?"

He set me on my feet, keeping an arm around me to steady me. I turned, looking behind us to see the inky river and Yajeel's boat returning to the other side. In front of us was a deep abyss, with a small staircase etched into the side of the wall. "We are on the other side of the Acheron River. You passed out because it's kind of a rift between the real world and Hell." Concern was etched on his face and he seemed rather pale.

"Are you okay? You seem scared. Should I be concerned?" My panic began to rise.

"You ask a lot of questions."

I huffed, annoyed. "And you're evading my question."

Etherious chuckled a little, "I'm not afraid. This is where I reside, after all. I know this realm like the back of my hand. I just . . ." He paused, his breath hitching. "I just have great pity for those who are here."

I leaned over the abyss, staring down into the darkness. "Where?"

"Hell is divided up into nine circles, or sections, and some of the circles have different sub-sections. We are about to descend into the first one. We have a long way ahead of us."

I followed him to the edge of the stair case, trying not to freak out at the possibility of falling into the endless abyss of Hell. Memories began to flash through my mind; I had been in just of scary situations before. One time, I even threw myself off a tower and would have died, if it weren't for Natsu, who came swooping in at the last minute. A fond smile came across my face. Even if I fell to my death in Hell, Natsu would be sure to find a way to break in here, snatch me out of the air, and save me.

We began to walk down, my feet hitting the edge of the stairs. The air in the cavernous hole was stagnant and I was beginning to hear sighs echoing. We departed the stairs, taking a small door that opened onto a large field.

We overlooked the field, full of meandering people who were not being tortured, but did not appear to be happy. I observed, taking it all in with quiet speculation.

"No questions yet? I'm shocked," Etherious said, his voice dripping with sass.

I turned to him, huffing and about to defend myself, but he cut me off.

"This is Limbo, the space where those who neither sinned nor did not enough good meander for eternity. Many of them had great values when they perished, but their crimes committed during their lives were too large to allow them to ascend to the holy place. Their only punishment is that they live in desire without hope. I spend most of my time here."

My heart dropped, understanding that there were many people here who loved and did good in their lives, but were suspended due to the overwhelming amount of mistakes.

Etherious pulled me down the stairs of the ledge we were standing on, and we began to mingle with the crowd. Their eyes were all sullen, hopeless, and many did not even recognize that we moved among them. "There is someone here I want you to see," he said, over his shoulder.

He pulled me with a definite destination in mind and my mind was whirling, trying to recall who would be here. I tripped over someone's foot and ended up crashing into a soul. Etherious's hand slipped from my grip. I looked up in shock, ready to apologize to the soul that I disturbed.

"I'm so sorry, wait. Ultear?"

She looked at me and smiled sadly, "Hi Lucy, it's good to see you. I can tell that you're still living."

My jaw dropped, "Why are you here? You were so virtuous!"

I could feel Etherious come up behind me, his hand resting on my shoulder, "Hello, Ultear. It's good to see you again."

"Hi Etherious. I see you're leading Lucy through Hell. What for?"

"Well, Mavis, Lucy's mom, and Lucy's ancestor decided that Lucy needed a little tour in order to figure out the One True Power. It should help Fairy Tail save humanity."

Ultear nodded in agreement, "Makes sense. Who are they battling right now?"

I waved my hands in front of their faces, "Hello? Care to explain why you are in Limbo, Ultear?"

Ultear laughed, "Still as sassy as always. Did Etherious explain Limbo's punishment?"

I nodded, "Yes, it's for those who believed in love, but their sins outweighed the good they did. They didn't act out of love for the majority of their life, so they are damned to spend eternity without hope."

A sad smile crossed her face, "That's why I'm here."

I gaped, "But you were so good! You helped us so much, and probably saved a lot of people in the end."

"But I spent the majority of my life working against love, following Zeref blindly and committing many sins for his sake."

I grew sad, "Ultear, you don't deserve this."

She smiled, "Honestly, I thought this was the most generous fate, as there are many other circles of Hell that I could be in, especially since my final act was suicide."

I gaped, speechless.

Etherious asked the question that I could not, "You committed suicide?"

"Technically, yes. I choose to give up the majority of my life force to cast a spell that turned back time a couple seconds when the dragons were attacking. I was hoping that it would give us another shot to keep the Eclipse gate closed, but it only ended up turning time back a couple of seconds. I knew it would drain me completely and that I would die, but I was willing to do it to save all my comrades."

I could feel anger bubbling up inside of me, "Ultear, you perished for your friends, out of love. I'm mad that you didn't choose to live for your comrades and live for love, but I don't believe you even deserve this! You did so much good in your life."

"Lucy, I realized after I died that if I hadn't of turned back time those few seconds, there would be many Fairy Tail members that would have perished. Especially Gray. So I'm happy I made that sacrifice."

I tried not to burst into tears, not succeeding, and threw myself at her, embracing her. It was not something I did often when she was alive, but I couldn't help myself. "Thank you, Ultear." She squeezed me back, and I could feel tears fall from her eyes onto my shoulder.

We both pulled back after a moment, our eyes shining with the remnants of tears.

"So how are Jellal and Meredy doing? I miss my former teammates" she asked.

"Honestly, we haven't seen much of them. I'm hoping that they sense the turmoil happening and come help. Fairy Tail is in a bind right now and it could mean the end of the world."

Ultear jumped a little, and looked upwards with a confused look on her face. "I can tell. Something just happened up on Earthland. I can feel a ripple in time; someone else is controlling it."

I looked up in concern, though I couldn't see anything more than the celling of the cavern. "What do you think is happening?"

"I don't know, but it scares me."

Etherious looked concerned as well. "I wonder if there is a way for you to project yourself up there, Ultear. Since you are the user of the Arc of Time lost magic, I would assume that you would be able to slip through if there is a ripple in the time."

She seemed to be pondering this, "I wonder . . . I'm going to go try. I'll let you know if I find anything." Ultear turned on her heel and slipped away, the grace of her former earthly body apparent.

I turned to Etherious, concerned. "We need to hurry. If Fairy Tail is having issues, then we need to figure out the One True Magic quickly."

Etherious nodded, "Let's keep moving then. But first, there is one more person you have to see here."

I allowed him to lead me through the crowd of milling people, my mind still swimming with the possibilities of what is happening to my guild.

Etherious stopped, and allowed me to peer around his back. The person was staring at me in shock, their face matching that of my own.

"Father," [1]I whispered.

I took two steps slowly, and then flung myself in his arms, sobbing. I hadn't seen my father since before we were frozen in time for seven years[2] and he passed away before I was able to return. Though we had our issues, I had forgiven him, as he left me a leader with an apology and his change of heart.

He held me, his hand stroking my hair as he murmured my name. It was my first time seeing him since learning that he truly loved me and believed in me.

Etherious respectfully stepped aside, and Father and I spoke for a while. He told me of the seven years I was gone and the changes he went through. I was so proud to hear of his change of heart. He told me that he was rewarded with Limbo because he spent his last seven years improving himself, evolving from a selfish, money-driven man, to the loving Father I always needed, but never had.

After a long talk, many tears, and many hugs, it was time for Etherious and me to move on. We had much to see and not enough time, especially since Fairy Tail was continuing to fight. The urgency of saving my comrades and my Father's instance that I return to my adopted family allowed me to push through. We bid my father goodbye and his parting words echoed through my head as we exited the field of Limbo.

 _You are mine and Layla's pride. All I want is that you live strong down what ever path you believe in. I love you, Lucy._

I cherished the words and held them close, as they gave me warmth while we walked back into the gaping abyss and descended down the stairs to the second circle.

 **Circle Two – Lust**

Our decent was halted by a small platform that was full of restless souls. I turned to Etherious, the question on my lips.

He answered before I had a chance to ask. "This is where the souls are judged and sent to their respective circles. You will probably recognize the judge. After all, this is his punishment for his actions on Earthland." Etherious rolled his eyes.

I stood on my tiptoes, peeping over the souls to the judge. In front of the crowd stood an old enemy, Klodoa in his Jackpot form.[3] Every soul stepped before him on a platform, and he pulled the lever on his slot machine-esque body. Their fate was decided by the number that showed up repeatedly on the window and the soul was sucked into a hole that opened up below them and supposedly sent to their punishment.

Realization hit me. "I get it. Klodoa was constantly trying to control every one, making them work for his ulterior motive. So now he has to decide their fate for eternity."

Etherious nodded, "I knew you would understand. That guy is a jerk."

I silently agreed, and Etherious pulled me forward, through the crowd of awaiting souls.

Our destination seemed to be the descending stairs behind Klodoa, but he blocked our path and laughed at us.

"Think you can go past here? You have yet to face my slot magic. Living souls are not allowed here."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his annoying talk. Etherious beat me to confronting him, stating that this was the will of the divine.

We moved past him, his lingering complaints echoing in our ears, and descended down further to the second circle. Etherious pushed open a door at the bottom of the stairs and we entered into a dark, black cavern. I could feel the air blowing around me restlessly, threatening to blow me off my feet.

I could hear the mournful sighs echo around me and could feel great unrest throughout the cavern. "What is this place, Etherious?" I asked.

"This is the circle of Lust. Those who committed crimes of the flesh and longed after those who didn't belong to them are condemned here, forced to blow around without rest."

I pondered, "I guess that makes sense. Lust does cause people to make choices that are aimless."

Etherious pointed as a spirit drew out of the breeze and formed. "I think you will recognize him."

I shuddered, unconsciously drawing closer to Etherious. "That stupid monkey is the epitome of lust. It's the Vulcan that Natsu and I encountered when we were searching for Macao.[4] That jerk . . ."

Etherious chuckled as I quietly fumed and then pulled me away from the Vulcan. Luckily it didn't notice us, or I would have probably started a fight.

We wandered further into the cavern, Etherious telling me stories of the other souls punished there. He called another soul to emerge from the wind.

I gasped, "You!"

The short girl, her black bob cut and bunny ears swirling in the wind, glared at me. "You aren't cute at all."

I growled, "That's because you only find men attractive and try to kill every girl who threatens your chance with them. You lusted after every attractive man. That's all you cared about."

Lamy tossed her hair and sauntered away, "With good reason. What good would life be without men?"

I turned to Etherious, his amusement evident on his face, and snatched his hand. I pulled him, stomping, through the cavern. "That wasn't funny," I growled.

He ruffled my hair with his other hand, chuckling at my anger. "It so was. I didn't realize she would infuriate you that much."

I could feel the emotion bubbling up in me, my anger stemming from her terrible treatment of my guild mates, especially her distaste of Mira.[5] Lamy was a selfish, lustful jerk.

My vision wavered, and I fainted once again.

* * *

[1] Jude Heartfilia

[2] See: Tenrou Island Arc

[3] Klodoa shows up a couple times, the second being as Jackpot in the Key of the Starry Sky arc, which is unique to the anime and isn't always accepted as canon. The writer believes that it is part of the Fairy Tail world, as the writer gave permission for this arc to be made. For more information, look at Jackpot on the Fairy Tail Wiki.

[4] See Chapter Three on the Fairy Tail Wiki for more information

[5] Lamy was going to demolish Mira's face and make her ugly, so she wouldn't have a chance with the guys. See Chapter 370 on the Fairy Tail Wiki.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello friends! We continue on our journey through Hell. After this, there will be three more chapters. And yes, there is a conclusion :D

Please Follow, favorite, share, and review! I'm also posting this on tumblr (thesirenserenity), so if you are on there, shoot me a message or share the chapter. I'll try to post the next chapter tomorrow afternoon or sunday :D

Thanks all!

 **Circle Three – Gluttony**

When I came to, I was once again being held by Etherious. His amused voice rung out, "This is becoming a common occurrence, Lucy. I'll definitely build muscle carrying you around."

I smacked him, scrambling for him to set me down. "I am not heavy! Don't tease me."

I ignored his boisterous laughter and took in my surroundings. Rain fell down onto my face, cold and heavy. I squinted, making out the appearance of people laying in the mud. A great white beast loomed over them, his mouth opening in a growl.

Etherious approached the beast, scooping up mud and throwing it in its mouth. The beast backed up, now quiet due to the amount of mud in its mouth.

"That's the Blizzardvern,[1] who really enjoys gorging himself on plants. He isn't carnivorous, but he could attack due to hunger."

I nodded, "I remember them; we encountered one when we went to pick herbs for a job one time. There was one just like him who was eating all of the herb we needed!"

"And that's exactly what this circle is: Gluttony."

I looked around again, noticing all the people laying in the muck and constantly being rained on. "There punishment is to be banished to the mud?"

"They pursed excessive pleasure in life, so now they are stuck in the mud, literally drowning in overabundance."

"Do all of these punishments work this way?"

Etherious looked at me confused, "What way?"

"The punishments reflect their sins, huh? They are required to live in their sin forever, essentially."

Etherious pondered this, "I never thought of it that way, but that makes total sense!" He placed a hand on my back and guided me forward. "I think there are a few people you know here too."

We approached the people in the refuse and one sat up above the rest. He looked at me, his eyes sunken in and faced hallowed out. His voice croaked out, "Living one, do you recognize me? You were the reason I lost all my wealth, all my fancy things. You even took my prized servant, the most beautiful of them all![2]"

I scrutinized him, unable to recognize him among the muck. His comment sparked a memory, which caused me to roll my eyes. My brain flashed back to one of my first adventures in Fairy Tail. "Everlue. The man who was so obsessed with himself, that he trapped a writer and forced him to write a book with him as a hero," I told to Etherious. "His collection of things was rather disgusting."

Everlue had fallen back in the muck, the effort of sitting up taking that much out of him. We kept walking, while I eyed the Blizzardvern suspiciously. It was still choking on the muck and subdued, but I didn't trust it. My lack of attention caused me to trip over a rather large figure on the ground. I looked down in surprise as it groaned in protest.

"Kain," I identified. I could never forget his large body and the way he almost demolished both Natsu and me. He was one of the members of the Dark Guild Grimoire Heart, led by the traitor of Fairy Tail, Hades.

Etherious eyed me, concern etched on his face. Part of me expected that he was waiting for me to faint again. I turned to him, explaining, "Kain was a foe that Natsu and I fought on Tenrou Island. He definitely ate a lot of food and had a great desire for every girl to like him. It was creepy," I shuddered, "because he could control anyone with a strand of their hair using some voodoo doll thing. I felt as though he wanted to collect them all and make all the girls his. He liked playing with people as though they were toys."

Etherious nodded in understanding, guiding me past his still body on the ground. "I understand. Gluttony of both power and people."

We then ran into Tempester at the entrance to Circle Four.

 **Circle Four – Greed**

"Judgement is upon humanity," Tempester thundered. "Those who are not worth will fall to Hell!"

Etherious set a hand on my back, as though to comfort me. Leaning over, he whispered to me, "Don't worry, he has no power compared to the gravity of our mission." He guided me forward, toward the demon. I could see our path down to Circle Four behind him.

Etherious's voice rang out, "Tempester, we are willed to pass. It is divine right, so you have no power."

I underestimated the power of Etherious's words, because Tempester fell to the ground and disintegrated. I looked at Etherious in shock. He just pulled me past the pile of ash and down the rocky slope.

"What kind of power do you have over the souls here, Etherious? You know who is in each circle, and how to get around every obstacle."

He was looking straight ahead, still leading me down the path. "You will know in time, I promise."

I rolled my eyes, "Why can't you just tell me now?"

"Time, you will know with time. Just be patient."

I huffed, but he had yet to lead me astray. Mother, Mavis, and my ancestor Anna trusted him and so I would too.

I took in my surroundings as we reached the bottom of the rocky climb, the path continuing on into the dark. The weight of it was heavy, and it made me feel as though I couldn't breathe. "What is this circle?" I inquired.

"Greed," he answered shortly.

"Very descriptive. You're guidance is so enlightening," I rolled my eyes.

Apparently my sarcasm lightened the mood, because Etherious let out a bark of laughter. "Come on, you will see shortly."

I heard them before I saw them, their groans and shouts littering the air. When they came into view, it took me a moment to process what I was seeing: the greedy pushing large boulders in a circle.

We approached closer, my confusion still evident. "I don't quite understand this punishment, Etherious."

He looked at them, pity etched on his face. "Just like the money they were tied to on land, so must they be forever bound to the pointless large boulders."

I squinted further, "Look, that demon there is Franmalth. We defeated him with the rest of his guild, Tartaros. I didn't interact with him much, but he was always muttering about the worth of everything, so it makes sense that he is here."

"What about that man?" Etherious pointed.

I gasped, my heart plummeting. "Jose Porla, the old master of Phantom Lord." I paused, attempting to swallow the fear and sadness that was creeping up. "He demolished our guild to capture me and my keys to sell to the highest bidder. He was going to have millions of jewels for my keys alone, and hold me for ransom to my Father. He didn't even care about his own comrades and the guild members he guided."

I walked past, overcome with emotion. Etherious followed me, and we walked in silence for a while.

After a while, I broke the silence. "I think I pity them more than anything. They either never knew love or didn't want to know love. Everyone we have seen could have amended their ways, could have learned to love."

Etherious placed a consoling hand on my back, "Some people are never able to know love. That is their fate."

I turned to him, my eyes flashing. "I don't believe that," I snapped. "Everyone should have the chance to be loved, to have comrades and family who cares about them. Who cares about fate, we should be free to make our own fate."

His eyes widened at the passion in my voice. A sad smile came on his face. "I wish it were like that, Lucy, and maybe for some it can be. But for others, we will never know what happens when we choose our own fate and live for love."

"I refuse to believe that."

"As you wish."

Our argument came to a halt as our feet plodded on, bringing us down into the next Circle.

 **Circle Five – Wrath**

As we enlightened down the rocky divider between the circles, the ground grew squishy and muddy. I could see a trench of the darkest black I have ever seen. It was bubbling and moving, but the water, if it could be called that, did not look inviting.

"The River Styx," Etherious said, breaking our silence.

I could see people fighting on the banks, their means dirty. Many were biting and scratching, going for fatal hits and knocking some into the river. If their screams were any indication, it was pretty obvious that the river was lethal.

Etherious watched me observe but did not wait for my questions. "Those are the wrathful, destined to forever fight on the muddy banks. We can't draw near, or we will be heavily injured. I can tell you that you know a few among those fighting."

"Who?" I inquired, squinting to attempt to make out features. Though, between the muck, blood, and other gore, it was pretty impossible to pick out anyone.

"Azuma, a former member of Grimoire Heart. He had the Arc of the Tree magic."

I nodded, recalling. "He fought Erza on Tenrou Island. She mentioned that he was obsessed with finding a worthy opponent."

"Do you remember the dark side of Brain from Oracion Seis? They called him Zero."

"Yea, he was annoying to fight. I speculate that they kept him locked up under Brain's skin because of his wrathful nature. He wanted to destroy everything in his path."

We approached the edge of the River Styx, coming under a tower. Etherious pointed to a figure emerging from the fog on the river, the boat drifting over the inky waves. Upon further examination, I could make out a grey demon who paddled the boat forward with one of its four arms.

"That's Ezel," Etherious told me. "He is one of the wrathful, but he is destined to ferry the boat and souls back and forth across the River Styx, because he is above the power of those fighting on the banks. As a demon of Zeref, he would completely destroy, and take great pride in destroying, all the wrathful there. Him being forced to watch, but never participating is actually a better punishment."

I nodded, as the boat pulled up to the bank.

"Live human!" the demon growled, his voice causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. I unconsciously drew closer to Etherious.

"Quiet, Ezel. We just need to cross the swamp. You will obey." Once again, his voice had power, causing the demon to immediately respond.

Ezel gnashed his teeth in response, but did not complain again.

Etherious got in the boat and held out a hand for me. As we sat down, I noticed faces lurking in the inky waves. I squeaked in fright, and grabbed Etherious's arm.

In my defense, I had been taking Hell pretty well so far. I think I am allowed to be scared of creepy faces in the black swamp water.

Etheirous laughed at me and then explained that those were the sullen, forced to forever choke in black mud. I didn't recognize any of them, though I really tried not to look. After a time, a much staring from our grey demon boatman, we drew up onto the opposite bank of the river. I could make out a giant red wall, peaking out over the top of a hill.

Etherious followed my gaze, then explained. "That is the city of Dis. It marks the transition from passive sin to active sin, so it is actually more dangerous from here on out. You may struggle over the next few circles."

We approached the wall, but a large crowd blocking our path.

Etherious looked annoyed, his eyes flashing. His voice boomed out, "What are you all doing here?"

Various cries about stopping us came in reply, some emphasizing the fact that I was still alive. I started to worry, because though Etherious was seemingly powerful, he had only had to talk down one person at a time prior.

"Quiet!" he yelled, gaining all their attention. "I don't care what you think. The living girl and I will pass through, for it is what is required. You should know better than to mess with the Divine Will of those above."

This argument had worked on every previous demon, but it seemed to not deter these ones. Etherious growled, his lips forming a snarl at all the complaints. "Do you know who I am?" he roared in frustration.

The hoard grew quiet, their voices falling silent.

Slightly more subdued, he spoke through tense teeth, "Open the gate."

The crowd scuttled off, some opening the gate for us and others dispersing. I turned to Etherious, slightly astounded. I had yet to see him this angry, and the rage was very evident on his face.

He groaned, slapping his face in his hand. "I'm really annoyed that they didn't listen right away."

"I'm just glad it worked."

Etherious looked at me, his face serious. "We would have gotten through, regardless. If I needed to, I could have called on the three Holy Ladies and had them sent backup. We need to get you through Hell as soon as we can."

 **Circle Six – Heresy**

We entered the city, Etherious explaining to me that this is the circle of the Heretics. We paused, chatting by the entrance as my nose adjusted to the stench of the lower circles.

"Heretics against what?" I inquired, confused. "Because if it was heretics against the Magic Council, all of Fairy Tails' members would be banished here."[3]

Etherious chuckled at my statement. "No, it's rather different. It is punishment for those who speak out against love and comradery, believing that their selves, a guild's reputation, or the like are more important."

I cocked my head, pondering this. It made sense. It reminded me of someone I knew, who had perished at the hands of demons, and I was curious to see if he was here. I eyed the flaming tombs in the ground, their punishment being to suffer an eternity of pain, much like those they destroyed because of their selfish desires.

"Can we go look in the tombs?" I required.

Etherious nodded, "Just be careful. Don't get pulled in."

We approached and I peered in a couple, looking for a specific person. Soon, I was rewarded. "Jiemma, former master of Saber Tooth," I claimed, triumphantly. "Your description reminded me exactly of him. He was so obsessed with winning, that he humiliated and kicked out Yukino from the guild just for losing a fight! And I can tell how cruel he is from how he treats his daughter, Minervra."

"It makes sense that he is a heretic now." Etherious chimed in. He noticed something and then pointed. To my left was an open tomb, a familiar figure attempting to sit up. "Looks like he is trying to see you."

I approached, trying to recognize the figure amidst the burning tomb. The figure was trying to speak, but only croaks were emerging. "Rustyrose," I identified, "From Grimoire Heart." The figure nodded, and then fell back into the tomb. I turned to Etherious, "It makes sense that he was here; he wanted to eradicate all non-magic users."

Etherious nodded, "That would be considered heresy as well, because it goes against humanity. Come on, we need to keep moving."

He placed a hand on my back and guided me away from the heretics and toward another slope.

* * *

[1] A subspecies of Wyvern that Lucy and her team encounter in Episode 73.

[2] This 'servant' turned out to be Virgo, who gave her key to Lucy and became one of her spirits under contract.

[3] The Magic Council organizes the proper and improper use of magic, as well as punishes those who use dark magic. The joke is, Fairy Tail often gets in trouble with the Magic Council because the members have a tendency to destroy buildings and don't respect the Council's decision making. In many arcs, Fairy Tail chose to act before the Magic Council gave a ruling, and they managed to save the world before it was too late.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello all! Thank you for the positive reviews. Here is the next chapter! After this, we have circle nine and then the conclusion. The pace starts to pick up here. Enjoy!**

 **Follow, favorite, and review! I love to know what you think. Thanks :D**

 **Circle Seven – Violence**

We descended a steep slope into a valley, tripping over rocks embedded in our path. They were loose, as though they had slid down the edge of the valley.

"Etherious, was there a rock slide recently?" I inquired.

Etherious rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Last time I was here, I underestimated my power and accidently caused it."

"Now that is a story I would like to hear," I answered, a smirk widening on my face.

"Maybe another time. Do you see the river ahead?"

I squinted, making out the banks of the river, but the contents astounded me. Rather than the blue of water or the black that I had grown accustomed to in Hell, this river was a boiling red. "Etherious, is that blood?"

He nodded in confirmation, "Yes, it's called the Phlegethon, the river of boiling blood."

"What circle is this?"

"Violence," he answered. "There are a couple different sections this time. The first is going to be in the actual river."

I started, but then understood when we drew closer. There were people submerged in the river, some more than others. They were screaming, though I could not tell if it was in pain or rage.

"These are those who were violent against others. Those who spilled blood will bath in it for all eternity."

"Why are some only sitting in it, while others are drowning?"

Etherious looked tense, his anger evident on his face. "Because they didn't have as severe of a crime as the mass murderers. You may remember some of those who are submerged here. Jackal?"

I nodded, peering in the river and trying to pick him out. "He was a member of Tartaros and would have killed all of humanity if he wasn't stopped. He was the one who decimated the whole Magic Council," I spat out. I personally fought Jackal and he was very eager to kill all humans. He took great pride in his ability to blow things up and had destroyed many lives. I barely escaped with my own life.

I glared toward his submerged figure. "He deserves to be here."

Etherious nodded, and lead me forward toward the edge of the bank. He swept me off my feet and into his arms. Before I could protest, he stepped into the river and waded through the shallow blood to the other side.

He set me down on my feet again, waving off my gratitude. Pulling me deeper into the circle, we came across a small woods. I looked at it curiously, eyeing the peculiar trees. The branches were mangled and dark, the leaves black. I could hear crying and moaning throughout the woods.

"What is the crying?" I asked, looking around for the source of the noise.

"Break off a part of the branch," Etherious ordered.

Doing so, I realized the source. The tree cried out as though it was in immense pain. Black gushed from the missing limb even though it was small.

The tree spoke out to me, its voice echoing through the moans. "Was that really necessary, Etherious? I'd rather not be maimed just to settle the girl's curiosity. Next time, just tell her."

I looked at the tree funny, its voice reminding me greatly of one of my comrades. "Who are you?"

"Silver Fullbuster."

I nodded, understanding now. He was the deceased father of my friend and teammate, Gray. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I am one of your son's comrades. We met before, but on rather different terms."

Silver had been dead, his body being controlled by the Necromancer Keyes. Though he had been one of the demons of Tartaros, Silver had really just been attempting to get close to them so he could kill as many demons as possible.

"I know who you are, Lucy. It's a pleasure to actually make your acquaintance. Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I am here."

I nodded, my curiosity overflowing.

"I willingly committed suicide. This punishment is for those who were violently against themselves."

I gasped, because I did not know how Silver had perished. Gray had been very private after the fight and I would guarantee that he hadn't mentioned the nature of his father's death to anyone. I had a suspicious Juvia had somehow found out, though.

He went on to explain, "I wanted Gray to kill me, but he was unable to. It was my time to pass, so I encouraged Juvia to destroy the Necromancer. When she did so, I faded, finally able to find rest here."

I could feel the frustration boiling up in me. Fairy Tail always tried to find a way to keep someone alive! I trusted Gray's and Juvia's judgement, but I was frustrated that it had to end that way. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but did not allow them to spill.

His voice came again, softer this time. "I know you don't approve, fairy, but my time had passed and I was willing to accept the punishment for my actions. I was just glad that I was able to take as many demons down as I did. Please tell both Gray and Juvia that I love them and thank them."

Etherious set a hand on my back and guided me past the tree that was once Silver, thanking him for his time. I was slightly in shock, amazed by the words of my friend's father.

Before I could recover, we were out of the forest and onto a sandy plane. Fire was raining down from the sky, but Etherious somehow protected us from its burning fingers. I could see a group of naked souls, their bodies cringing in pain from the raining fire.

"What is their sin?"

Etherious looked at me sadly. "Those are the people who committed violence against love."

"I don't understand."

"It is for those people who were doing crimes, such as killing and other violence, for the sake of love. "

I nodded, understanding. "Anyone here I would recognize?"

Etherious pointed, "Seilah from Tartaros. She loved Kyôka dearly and blindly followed her violent example. Every violent action she did was to gain approval from Kyôka, and she was willing to do anything she asked."

We walked along the edge of where the desert meet the forest, so as to not burn our feet. We came to a river and followed it to the edge of a cliff, watching it spill over into the depths below.

Etherious put his fingers in his mouth and let out a large whistle. I looked at him curiously, but he waved off my questions. Soon, a large creature flew up over the edge of the cliff and landed next to Etherious. Its blue fur contrasted with its white wings, and it reminded me of a large cat.

It actually reminded me of a subdued, large version of Happy.[1]

Etherious explained that this Happy-demon was one of the many lesser demons that wandered Hell, and that he would take us down the cliff to Circle Eight. I watched from a distance as he calmed the demon, coaxing it into carrying us both.

After a couple moments, Etherious summoned me and we climbed on the beast. The initial take off was terrifying, the beast spreading its white wings and flinging itself off the cliff. I struggled to suppress my fear and stay conscious, trusting that Etherious knew that we would arrive at the bottom unscathed.

 **Circle Eight – Fraud**

The beast descended in lazy circles, landing at the bottom of the cliff. We had just scrambled off when it took to the air again, flying off into the distance.

"Is this Circle Eight?" I asked.

Etherious nodded, "It's fraud. There are a lot of different segments, or pockets, of this circle, so we have quite the journey ahead of us. We need to move quickly though, because our time is running short."

I allowed him to take my hand and lead me to a bridge. I peered down into the ditch below us, jumping slightly when I saw the souls being marched by demons. They were being brutalized, whips cracking in the air and against their skin.

"These are the panderers, those who help others for their own ulterior motives."

I did not try to speak to any of them, but I did recognize one. "That's Bluenote from Grimoire Heart."

Etherious followed my gaze. "He must have been in the guild for different reasons then. Do you know?"

I shook my head. "I didn't interact with him much, but I heard that he really didn't care much for his own guild's goals. It hurts me that someone would join a guild, just to betray it for their own agenda."

Etherious guided me over the bridge to the next pocket. "These are the flatterers."

I struggled to breath because of the overwhelming stench. The flatterers were buried in a river of excrement, their heads barely hitting the surface. I still was able to pick out a recognizable character, but the sight of him caused my blood to boil.

"Nullpudding," I growled. Etherious looked at me in surprise. "He was part of the guild Raven Tail, led by Master Makarov's traitorous son, Ivan Dreyer. We competed against them in the Grand Magic Games, and he completely cheated and targeted Gray."

"Though," Etherious interrupted, "I don't believe he is here for that."

I rolled my eyes. "No, he was constantly scraping at the feet of Ivan."

"Then I suppose this is deserved."

"Much," I glared at the offending head. Etherious seemed amused by my distaste, but kept me moving toward the next pocket.

We breezed past the Simoniacs, with their heads stuck in upside down in alters. Etherious's sense of urgency was increasing, his hand ever guiding me forward. I did not recognize anyone in this pouch, but I knew their type.

We walked onto the next bridge, and I peered down into the next pouch and nearly jumped out of my skin. Every soul had their head turned backwards, the grotesque image shocking me.

"Those are the sorcerers, false prophets, and fortune tellers."

"Let me guess, they have their head turned backwards so that they can't 'see forward.'" I rolled my eyes.

"Exactly."

I peered more closely, recognizing one of the souls. I pointed him out to Etherious, "That's Keyes, the Necromancer that was controlling Silver Fullbuster." I pondered the idea of sorcerers, not quite understanding the idea of having a pouch for them, as all the magic users of Fiore were 'sorcerers.'

I expressed my question to Etherious and he reminded me that we were in the circle of Fraud.

"So it is because he used his magic to deceive?"

"Not quite, because Mavis was an illusionist mage, yes? Her whole magic is based on fraud, and yet she ascended above."

I nodded, seeing where he was going. "It's about how you use your magic. Keyes used his to deceive, to control people, and to kill. It was never for a noble cause and was very much rooted in dark powers."

"Exactly." His hand came on my back again, ushering me over the bridge and onto the next one. We looked down into a pit of boiling pitch, the tar-infested air affecting the bridge.

"These are the Barrators, those who bought their positions," Etherious explained.

The air was making my eyes burn, and so I was rather glad when he ushered me onto the next pouch[2]. By this point, my body was beginning to wear out. I felt very weary, my emotions exhausted.

Etherious kept me going, his presence a constant comfort. We walked onto the next bridge, his hand pulling me. "These are the hypocrites," he introduced.

I looked down at the souls, their bodies trapped in heavy robes, forced to forever march throughout the pouch. One of them noticed me and called up, "Oh, Fairy Tail girl! You remember me, right? You have to get me out of here."

I rolled my eyes, recalling the man from a year prior. I turned to Etherious to explain. "That's Michello. He was a former member of the Magic Council and Natsu, Wendy, and I saved him from Tartaros." I turned, glaring back down at the soul in the pouch. "It's fitting that he is punished as a hypocrite, because he preached about protecting Fiore as a Magic Council Member, and yet he was willing to sacrifice everyone, including his granddaughter, for him to be saved. He doesn't do anything for himself, nor for Fiore."

I ignored Michello's protests from below me and stomped across the bridge. I had always been frustrated with him. I could feel Etherious following behind me, Michello's demands fading.

We walked onto the next bridge, screams echoing out from below us. I peered down, watching as large serpents chased down souls, biting them and turning them into various things. Some burst into ash, while others turned into large reptiles as well, only to regenerate after a time.

"Those are the thieves," Etherious explained.

"Look," I pointed, "That's Banaboster, the old master of Twilight Ogre. They stole our guild hall and whittled money from us, so I guess this pouch is fitting for him."

Etherious nodded, "That makes sense. You got your guild hall back, right?"

I could feel a dangerous grin creeping onto my face, "Why yes, we did."

Etherious chuckled as we walked onto the next bridge. "Here are the fraudulent counselors." I looked down, only seeing tongues of flames burning. It seemed as though each flame housed a soul.

"Is there anyone I would know down there?" I inquired.

"Yes, Mard Geer, the leader of Tartaros. He led the whole guild in ways that were against love, and even against Zeref's will."

I was actually glad that I did not have to interact with Mard Geer. He was one of the few foes we have faced that really scared me.

We moved onto the next circle, which Etherious introduced as the sowers of scandal. I could see Jason, the primary reporter for Sorcerer Weekly[3], being chased and mutilated by sword-wielding demons. Though it was a cruel fate for my previous employer and I felt great pity for him, it made me chuckle a bit. He was very good at stretching the truth and causing great discord with his gossip articles throughout Fiore.

We walked to the next bridge, but were met with open air. Etherious and I looked across the tenth and final pouch, met with no way to walk over it.

I looked down at the crumbled bridge at the bottom of the pouch. "What should we do?" I asked.

"I guess we are going in. Luckily, this is one of the more subdued pouches."

We scrambled down the side, using the rocky ledge and the build up from the crumbled bridge to assist us in our decent. Etherious went first, catching me at the bottom. "What is this pouch?" I asked. There were souls littering the ground, but all were simply laying in agony. They seemed to be diseased.

"These are the falsifiers. Those who were imposters or counterfeiters are condemned here, afflicted with diseases."

I could feel the tension growing as we walked across the bottom of the pouch, our footsteps breaking the silence. Fear crept over me, and I unconsciously drew closer to Etherious.

"Lucy," a voice croaked out.

I jumped and Etherious put an arm out in front of me, protecting me. I looked down, seeing a very familiar face.

Tears welled up in my eyes, the feeling of betrayal coming over me. "Imitatia."

"I've missed you, Lucy," her feeble hand reached out to me, shaking with fever.

I began to cry, the tears pouring out of my eyes. "Don't lie to me, Imitatia. You haven't missed me at all. How can you miss the person you lied to?" I snapped.

Etherious stepped fully in front of me, blocking my view of the pathetic figure on the ground. He tucked me into his arms and I could feel a growl reverberating in his chest. "Let's get you out of here."

* * *

[1] Happy is Natsu's Exceed (flying cat), who often provides him with transportation. For this story's purposes, there will be an invented 'Happy,' who is Etherious's companion, much like Happy is to Natsu.

[2] The collapsed bridge was moved to pouch ten for plot purposes.

[3] Though most characters selected have been either dead, or unlikely to show up in the story again, this character is the exception. But, he fit the position perfectly, so I allowed it.


	5. Chapter 5

**hey all! sorry about the wait. I had to finish finals and totally forgot to upload. Luckily, there is one chapter left. Kinda the epilogue. It will be out sometime in the next two days! Thanks for reading. Comments are appreciated!**

 **Circle Nine – Traitors**

The lower we descended, the more suppressed I felt. I don't think I will ever be able to put into words the sensation of the lowest part of Hell. It was so void of hope, so void of light, that I felt like giving up and sitting in despair for the rest of eternity. Only Etherious's hand, constantly urging me forward, kept me going.

I could still feel the remnants of tears on my face, still shaken from my encounter with Imitatia. She had pretended to be my cousin, to be my family. I treated her like my sister! In the end, she hadn't loved me at all. It was all a ruse. [1]

It was not full of fire, but rather of ice. The cavern was quiet, but it was not a comfortable silence; it put me on edge and made me anticipate the worst. It was almost as though I could hear the deepest, darkest thoughts of the world.

Etherious, sensing my despair, kept me going. The environment was effecting him as well, his demeanor becoming almost frantic. I could feel the energy draining from him.

"Keep going Lucy, we are almost done. This is the circle of Traitors. I know this part is hard. Hold onto the hope and love in your heart."

I tried to reply but words were hard to find. All I knew is that I wanted to escape as fast as possible while I still held onto hope. I glanced around quickly, squeezing Etherious's hand tighter. Ahead of us, off the side of the path, I saw people frozen into the edge of the lake. They were rendered immobile by the ice and I could see the darkness and despair in their eyes.

I took a deep breath, recalling the many adventures with my comrades and the love they brought me. I will make it out. Holding onto the hope in my heart, I managed to mutter, "Let's get this over with."

I stomped over to the nearest person, addressing them. "Alright, tell me who you are and what you did."

The man's face upturned and I recoiled, gasping, and ran into Etherious. "Ivan Dreyar," I spat out.

The familiar venom in his eyes was joined by sorrow. His tears welled up, but froze due to the low temperature. His voice rasped out, "I see you already know me, girl. You must be one of Makarov's brats."

Anger welled up inside of me, "You mean your father, who you betrayed? Yes. I am proud to be one of his 'brats,' because he showed me the true meaning of love. He took in so many lost people and gave them a family in the guild, Fairy Tail. And you! You betrayed him and tried to destroy his true family, your true family! You betrayed Fairy Tail. And your son. Don't get me started about Laxus. You only care about the money you will gain from his powers."

I could feel Etherious's hand on my waist, pulling me away from Ivan. I turned, unable to face him anymore, and threw myself into Etherious's arms. I could feel the beginning of tears, but they froze before they could leave my eyes. Etherious rushed me past Ivan, not allowing him to speak to me again. I looked up at him, seeing his face grow paler.

"We need to keep moving. This place will drain you."

I nodded, "Sorry, he just . . . He betrayed his family when he had an opportunity to have a great family. His father is one of the best people, so full of love."

He smiled down at me, "I know, Luce. That's why this place is at the depths of Hell. I don't think we will be able to talk to anyone else from now on."

I looked around. Our steps had taken us deeper, along the bank of the lake. Sure enough, every poor soul was frozen further, and most were completely incapacitated. "What did these people do?"

Etherious pointed out one, "I think you know him, though I don't believe you've seen him before. It's the God Serena."

"Wait, wasn't he one of the Ten Wizard Saints in Fiore?"

Etherious nodded, "But he betrayed his homeland. He went to the Alvarez Empire to work under Emperor Spriggan as a member of the Spriggan Twelve."

I gasped, "He is one of the Spriggan Twelve now? But they are the ones trying to destroy Fiore!"

His grip tightened on my hand. "Exactly."

This time, sorrow filled my heart. I was angry at his betrayal, but after seeing the rest of those in Hell, it made me upset that a person gave themselves up to evil. If there was anything that I learned in Fairy Tail, it was that yesterday's enemies could become tomorrow's friends. They just needed to love and be loved in return.

Etherious broke me out of my thoughts and pointed to someone who was fully encased in ice. "Do you recognize him?"

My eyes glanced over the familiar man. "It's Crawford Sean, the old head of the Magic Council! He truly was a traitor, betraying the whole country and helping Tartarous try to destroy magic and all of humanity. I see why he is here."

"Yes, he did betray all of the Magic Council and Fiore, but he also was a traitor to guests. Didn't your friends go see him when your guild was trying to protect old Magic Council members, and he knocked them out and allowed them to be captured?"

I could feel my blood boiling, but the cold air and the suppressing environment subdued my outburst. "Erza and Mira were almost destroyed because of him. We were trying to help." My thoughts couldn't help but dancing back to my earlier thought; those who were here are just void of love. "Though, I can't help but feel sorrow for him. He didn't find worth in his friends and family, but rather desired money, which lead to his ultimate demise."

"His own comrades killed him, huh."

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "I honestly wouldn't even call them comrades. No comrade would kill someone for their own gain. They need to support each other."

Etherious and I were both struggling to breath. The deeper we went into this bottom circle of Hell, the harder it was to think. I found that the thought of my comrades back on Earthland and the love I had for them helped keep my head clear. All of these traitors had that in common; they abandoned love and dwelled in hate.

We rounded a tall rock wall in the cavern that slightly separated this area from the rest of the circle. I could feel Etherious become more and more stiff, his labored breath scaring me. "Etherious, are you okay?"

He tried to nod, but was not able to succeed. "The cold down here makes me really weak, though I suppose it is to subdue my destructive nature and force me to behave. It's really hard for me to fight it."

My heart went out to him, especially since I couldn't help treat him like a sorrowful, more subdued form of my partner and best friend, Natsu.

He turned, squeezing my hand and slightly smiling at me. "Honestly, I don't think I would be able to go through this circle in the right mind if you weren't here, Luce. You radiate love and protection and make me feel at ease. It helps me to be in full control of myself."

Despite the feeling of depression radiating from the cavern, I couldn't help but grin back at him. "I can say the same thing. I don't think I would have gotten this far on my own and you are definitely helping me stay anchored here." Then I stopped in my tracks, my brain working. "Etherious, why does this place affect you like that? I thought you were technically second in command here."

He pulled me into motion, turning my body to face the end of the cavern. "That's why. I'm not first in command. I need to be controlled somehow."

My eyes took in the end of the cavern and I gasped.

"Zeref."

There was a plain throne, fully encased in ice. Enclosed in it was the man who had been haunting both mine and Fairy Tail's dreams for a long time. He was the one who wanted to destroy humanity and rebirth the world by controlling it with demons. He was the reason that we were in this great war.

He was suspended in time, his black hair covering the eyes of his downturned face. As we drew closer, I could feel that he was the cause of the suppressing environment and feeling of depression that had been draining our souls since we entered this lowest part of Hell. Black tendrils seemed to emerge from the ice-encased throne and I could hear an ocassional crack in the ice, as though it were about to release him at any point. There were three people sprawled on the ground at the foot of the throne, their torsos frozen in the ice.

As we drew closer in silence, I could see glistening tears in Zeref's eyes.

Etherious interrupted the silence. "Those around him were traitors to their masters. You may recognize one of them."

I nodded my head. "I don't even need to get closer. I know who it is. Hades, who's original name is Precht Gaebolg; he was the second master of Fairy Tail." I had no more passion left in me, my voice falling emotionless. "He was one of the founding members of Fairy Tail and took over after Mavis's death, but he betrayed both Mavis's ideals and Fairy Tail and wanted to destroy the guild and decimate Mavis's grave. He was a true traitor."

"He has the greatest punishment besides Zeref himself."

"Why is Zeref here, Etherious? What did he do? I mean, I know that he wants to destroy humanity, but why?"

Etherious sighed, "Zeref betrayed love. He abandoned hope in the world and believes that it is better to just start anew. He pursues death endlessly, because he has no hope for a future. You see him here, but much like your beloved guild master, he appears on Earthland as an apparition, seeking death and destruction."

"Etherious, is Zeref the ruler of Hell?" I asked quietly.

He nodded, his hand gripping mine in an almost painful squeeze. "Yes he is."

"He created you, didn't he?"

Etherious nodded. I could see his face falling, his sorrowful eyes regarding me. "I was created to destroy him, as his ultimate demon. But it is only possible if my soul is summoned to Earthland."

"You're E.N.D." My voice was neither accusatory nor shocked. Steady acceptation washed over me. "You're the demon that Gray is trying to kill and that Fairy Tail has been seeking endlessly."

He flinched, as though he expected me to be angry or betrayed. "Yes," he said miserably. "And my soul is stuck here until I'm summoned." I could feel his anger growing, the passion boiling over. Heat began to radiate off him. "I can't do anything here. I am just stuck in this hopeless place! I can't destroy Zeref, though I don't know if I should give the ruler of Hell what he wants. Should I destroy him? Should I let him live, suspended here in Hell?" He turned to me in earnest, his hands gripping my shoulders. "I believe in love, Lucy, I really do. I want humanity to win, and I don't believe that the whole world should be destroyed!"

His face fell into my neck in despair and my arms wound around him. "I believe you, Etherious. I trust you." I leaned back a little so I could meet his eyes. "Besides, I think I know you pretty well after going on this journey with you."

My hand smoothed over his back, feeling only love and faith for this demon whose intentions were pure and believed in the power of love.

The power of love.

I froze, realization setting in. I began to mumble to myself, my brain running a million miles a minute. "Zeref didn't believe in love, they all betrayed comrades and those who were family. They lost hope and gave up. That's why they are here." Etherious was looking at me, his eyes wide in shock. "That's it!" I exclaimed. "The One True Power is Love!"

Suddenly, it was as though we could both breath again. The feeling of suppression and despair had dissipated, because we had Love. My smile grew bigger and I was met with a goofy grin from Etherious, which immediately reminded me of Natsu.

Hope filled the both of us, and Etherious snatched up my hand and pulled me towards the throne. "You're brilliant, Luce! That's exactly why we are here. Now let's get outta here and get you back to Earthland so you can save humanity!"

I couldn't help but giggle, being reminded of all the times Natsu dragged me somewhere. We slipped behind the throne and found a hole in the ground. Etherious did not miss a beat, scooping me up in his arms and jumping into the hole.

"Hold on!" he shouted, and I felt the weirdest sensation. Gravity switched, and down became up. His hand caught the edge of the hole and pulled us around and deposited us on the floor in a heap. He jumped to his feet and pulled me to mine. We were in a small, circular room with no celling. It seemed to go on forever up and there was no way to escape, save the ladder mounted to the wall. Etherious dragged me over to it, "And up we go, Luce! To Earthland!"

* * *

[1] To read more, visit the 'Key of the Starry Heavens' arc on the Wiki.


	6. Epilogue

**Here lies the epilogue. A huge thanks to all those who have been following this! You are all the best.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **The Other Side**

The climb was long and hard, but with Etherious under me, I knew no harm would come to me. I could trust him to catch me if I fell, just like I could trust him to protect me. We emerged, climbing up through the surface of the world into a small cave. Etherious's hand rested on the small of my back, guiding me past the small stream in the cave to the entrance. Pushing aside the vines that were laying over the opening, I stepped out into the world. The fresh air kissed my face and I was grateful to be on the surface once again.

Turning my face to the sky, I looked up at the stars that gazed down at me. I could see my old friends, the constellations that my mother had taught me all those years ago. They had become a large part of my life, my comrades, my guiding force. They were my connection to my mother, who now resided above them in the heavens. It was thanks to her guidance that I was able to go on this journey.

"Luce, come look." Etherious's voice rang out behind me.

I turned to him, the gentle breeze floating through my hair, and took in my surroundings for the first time. The small clearing we were in was surrounded by high mountain walls and fresh greenery. The cave we emerged from moments before was hidden to the right of a stone monument.

Etherious stood beside the monument, his pink hair blowing in the wind and the red scales on his face shining in the moonlight. His face was downturned, looking at the inscription on it, serenity evident on his features for the first time since I had met him. And yet it felt familiar.

I approached him, tucking myself into his shoulder and smiling gently when his arm came around me and encased me in his warmth.

"Look," he repeated, his fingers reaching down to brush some vines off the monument.

"Mavis Vermilion, First Master of Fairy Tail," I read. "There is a quote down here too."

I slipped out of his light embrace to brush the vines off the small plaque at the bottom of the monument.

" _In sadness, in strife, I will be by your side. You are never alone. There is hope more numerous than the stars that twinkle in the sky. Come, let us walk to the tune of the fairies' song. The wind that brushes against your skin tells of a bright tomorrow."_

His hand reached out to grab mine, pulling me back up to standing. I turned to him, smiling gently. "We make a good team, huh?"

He leaned his head against mine, our foreheads touching. A small smile graced his lips as his eyes met mine. His voice rasped out, "It's always more fun when we're together."

 _It's always more fun when we're together…_

 _It's always…_

My eyes widened in recognition. "Natsu," I gasped.

He closed his eyes, slightly lowering his head in shame and nodded.

My jaw dropped open, "It was you the whole time." Then the traditional anger bubbled up in me. It was him, alright. Only he could make me feel both anger and love at the same time. I pulled back and smacked his shoulder. "You idiot! Why didn't you tell me? I knew it!"

Etherious, or Natsu, pulled back from me, evading my violent hitting. His hands went up by his head, as though he was surrendering. "I didn't know! I didn't know myself! I couldn't remember!"

I froze, my anger draining and confusion setting in. "What do you mean?"

He looked down at me, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head in a way that was all Natsu. "All I could remember was being E.N.D.. When I first saw you, you felt very familiar and felt the need to protect you and be near you. As we went through Hell and re-lived all our opponents, it helped awake the Natsu side of my mind. Being near you did that as well." His fingers reached out and brushed my cheek.

Tenderness filled me. A small smile graced my lips, "When did you realize that your other half was Natsu?"

"I knew that I knew you and that you were someone to care for and protect from the beginning, but I fully realized myself when we saw Imitatia. She made you cry, and the memory of it came crashing down on me. No one is allowed to make you cry," he growled out.

I could see the red scales on his face gently fading, along with the small horns in his hair. "So that is why you froze up then and wanted to move on."

He nodded slowly. "I also remembered why we are here. This is a dream, Luce. Back in Fiore, I'm in a coma and you're probably asleep somewhere."

Memories came crashing down on me. I could see Natsu falling on the floor from the poison, I could feel his limp hand in mine as I sat by his bedside. "I'm right beside you," I whispered. Then, realization hit me. "Wait, does this mean you really are E.N.D.? The demon that Zeref created?"

Natsu nodded, "I just found out when I was fighting Zeref before I returned to Fairy Tail and got fell into the coma."

"Natsu… What does that mean?"

He looked at me, determination shining in his eyes. "Well, I was created to be all powerful, so I am the only one who can defeat Zeref. Though, I don't think I would ever be able to do it by myself. Now we know that the One True Power is Love. That's why your mother, Anna, and Mavis sent us here. So we are going to wake up and go save Fiore and all of humanity. After all, someone said that we should be free to make our own fate."

A smile graced my lips at his passionate words. This was the Natsu I knew. "Together?"

His traditional grin split his face, "Of course, weirdo. It's always more fun when we're together."

I flung myself forward, throwing my arms around him. He stumbled back in surprise, but then returned my hug. I turned my eyes to the stars, as the grove and Mavis's grave faded around us. We were waking up. Natsu followed my gaze, and we watched as the night sky came around us, the stars shining down on us.

I looked into his eyes, seeing the stars reflecting in the onyx color. I grinned at him, because I knew we would be able to win. After all, we were Fairy Tail mages! I pulled him closer, murmuring into his neck, "Let's go on another adventure together."


End file.
